In two weeks, the WTAMU Symphonic Band will be traveling toward San Antonio to perform as an invited Collegiate group at the annual Texas Music Educator's Association (TMEA) convention. For many music educators and college music students in the state, it is one of the highlights of the year. I have fond memories of TMEA from back in high school as a member of the Texas All-State Band and have continued going ever since. This year will mark my third concert performance at a TMEA convention. The program for this year's tour and TMEA performances is:
  
    Overture to Bartered Bride - Smetana
    Celebration - Sparke
    Fantasia for Alto Saxophone - Smith
    Lincolnshire Posy - Grainger
    Cadence - Brooks

    Our tour will kick-off on Sunday, February the 5th (Super Bowl Sunday... if you didn't catch the reference) and will take us through Midland and Brady before arriving in San Antonio for a total of 5 performances.
   

    Rehearsals of the Claude T. Smith Fantasia for Alto Saxophone are going very well and I am so excited about getting to perform it with such a top-notch ensemble. The Fantasia for Alto Saxophone was the piece that I had ever heard for saxophone and large ensemble in a live performance - the occasion was the 2006 Honor Band of America and Otis Murphy tore the house down. I was fortunate to be in the band accompanying his performance and he, unknowingly, had a large role in my decision to study saxophone performance at the university level and pursue my dream of becoming a college professor.  Below, I have included a teaser of the piece from a recent rehearsal.

    I will be posting updates to this page more frequently over the next couple weeks as I chronicle my trip to Rochester, NY to audition at the prestigious Eastman School of Music and return to immediately leave for tour with the WTAMU Band. Stay tuned and feel free to leave a comment below!